Estee Lauder Sued by Duty Free Americas Over Airport Stores

Duty Free Americas alleges that Estee Lauder undertook a
campaign of anti-competitive activity to drive it out of
business, according to the complaint filed today in federal
court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida,

Duty Free Americas and its competitors purchase products
from a small group of name-brand manufacturers, and bid against
one another to sell duty-free concessions at airports, according
to the complaint.

Estee Lauder started competing for those stores, cut off
the supply of its products to Duty Free Americas, and pointed to
the loss of those brands “as a reason Duty Free Americas should
be found unqualified to operate in any airport,” according to
the complaint.

Estee Lauder frustrated Duty Free Americas’ efforts to
“sell new and different brands that did and would compete with
Estee Lauder brands,” according to the complaint.

Duty Free Americas seeks a court order ending Estee
Lauder’s alleged anticompetitive practices and unspecified
damages, according to the complaint.

A representative of New York-based Estee Lauder wasn’t
immediately available after regular business hours to comment on
the lawsuit, and didn’t immediately return an e-mail seeking
comment.

The case is Duty Free Americas Inc. v. The Estee Lauder
Companies Inc., 12-cv-60741, U.S. District Court, Southern
District of Florida (Fort Lauderdale).